April: IT Budgets, Salaries and Retention Concerns Up

The Dice IT Hiring Market Report is a roundup of news related to technology hiring, compiled from various sources by the Dice Editorial Staff.

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2012 IT Budgets Are Up by 20 Percent; And So Are Staff Retention Concerns

IT budgets and salaries are increasing while employers show increasing concern about losing their employees, according to the technology search and staffing firm PROTECH. Average 2012 IT budgets increased to 10.2 percent from 8.5 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, 42 percent of tech leaders plan to grow their staff this year, up by 13 percent compared from 2011. Fifty-seven percent of tech executives are concerned about losing top IT talent in 2012 (up by 14 percent).

IT Employment Will Grow 22 Percent by 2020

In an update to its regular employment reports, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that by 2020, employment across all computer occupations is expected to increase by 22 percent, but some fields will fare better than others, Demand for software developers will be the strongest, with increases up to 32 percent depending on the type of development.

Offshoring Still Affects American IT Job Count

The number of IT jobs at large corporations is declining significantly, but within 10 years this exodus may end as companies run out of jobs suitable for moving to low-cost countries. According to management consulting firm The Hackett Group, only about 4.5 million of the 8.2 million IT jobs in the U.S. and Europe at the start of 2002 will still exist in 2016. By 2016, if Hackett’s estimates hold, the 1.8 million IT jobs in North America and Europe at the largest companies it studied will have declined to about 1.5 million.

Utah Computer System Design Jobs Rise 12 Percent

Utah’s tech sector is noticeably expanding. In 2011, the number of jobs expanded from 65,000 to 75,000, with computer system design positions increasing by nearly 12 percent. NPR says that overall, scientific and technical jobs increased 9.7 percent. A big part of these gains stems from venture capital investment, which increased by 54 percent last year. State officials are trying to lure video game companies to turn to local digital media industry into a 3,000 job, $1 billion sector.

Systems Admins, App Developers Needed In Georgia

More than 4,000 tech positions are open in Georgia, but the state doesn’t have enough applicants to meet the demand. The Technology Association of Georgia says the most difficult positions to fill are systems administrators and application developers. Some 71 percent of local tech executives plan to increase hiring over the next year, while 85 percent plan to increase headcount over the next five years.

Recruiters Struggle to Find Web Developers

Recruiters are facing difficulties in filling Web development positions. Demand is heaviest in New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle. Skills recruiters seek the most include Java, JavaScript, HTML, SQL, CSS, XML, AJAX, ASP, .NET and jQuery.